Competitor Research: Accessory Dwelling Units in California

Hi! I'm Eli and I'm the founder of HAUS+, a San Francisco startup selling prefabricated accessory dwelling units (ADUs). We need to gather detailed information on all our direct competitors and organize that data in a spreadsheet. Research tools will include LinkedIn, Angel List, Crunchbase, Gust, etc. (you may need to use free trials of these services in order to access all this information). You will also be able to gain valuable information through the companies' websites, and by posing as a customer and going through their process. Spreadsheet should be created in Google Sheets (let me know if you think a different platform would be better) and formatted to be graphically pleasing and easy to read, with each column sortable (so that, for any column, we can rank the companies by that criteria either alphabetically or numerically). Headers for each category of data should be frozen so that when we scroll down the sheet, we can still see the category labels across the top. We will need to be able to easily add or remove competitors as we discover more or some exit the market. Categories of data and specific data columns include: COMPANY: Name Brief description Website Service area # units built Year founded Number of employees (exact or range) Location (headquarters) Key people (current, name (linked to their LinkedIn) & title)* Key people (former, name (linked to their LinkedIn) & title)* Social media (list all they are on, linked to their page for each) *Key people include founders and co-founders, executives, and advisors FUNDING: Total funding to date Key investors (series, year, amount) Angel round (year, amount) Seed round (year, amount) Series A (year, amount) Series B (year, amount) Series C (year, amount) PRODUCT (do this for each comparable product* the company offers): Product name (linked to webpage) Size (square feet) Advertised price (as listed, [login to view URL] price) Total price (for entire completed unit, including foundation, utilities, site work, etc.) Advertised price per square foot Total price per square foot # bedrooms (studio or 1 bedroom) # bathrooms Construction (traditional, panelized, modular, or factory built) HVAC system (ducted, mini-split, radiant under floor, etc.) Foundation type (slab on grade, helical piers, footings, etc.) Solar (yes, no, optional) Battery backup (yes, no, optional) Furnished (yes, no, optional) Homieness (rate 1-5 based on how "normal" the unit feels) Aesthetics (rate 1-5 based on how good the unit looks) Sustainability (list features) *Comparable products must be: 380-700 square feet; 1 bedroom; prefabricated SERVICE: Permitting (yes, no, optional) Landscape (yes, no, optional) Site work (i.e. grading, trenching) (yes, no, optional) Foundation (yes, no, optional) Financing (yes, no, optional; if yes, list partners and link to their websites) Project duration (from customer agreement to move-in) Construction duration (boots on the customer's property) Process (summarize entire customer process from first contact through move-in, including step duration and every point of payment/amount paid) --- Competitors to research include: -ActonADU -AxiomADU -Valley Home Development -Honomobo -Cover -MightyBuildings -BluHomes -Dvele -LivingHomes (Plant Prefab) -PlusHus -Connect-Homes -Modal -PrefabADU -Crest Backyard Homes -United Dwellings -Abodu -Habitat -Eanovation -Koto -H2 Prefab -Periscope Homes -Sonderpods -and any other companies you discover that sell prefab small homes in our service area (California; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington) MOST IMPORTANT: this is a big, complicated project, and you will likely have many questions along the way. I am here to help! Please stay in close contact with me as you work and never hesitate to contact me with questions or ideas. I'm happy to talk with you before you start if you want to strategize on how to do this most efficiently.